The Chinese New Year falls on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar. Thus, it does not always fall on the first day of January. For 2016, February 8 will be New Year’s Day and traditional Chinese celebrations will include not only a barrage of firecrackers but also a menu consisting of dishes to bring good luck.

Oranges and Tangerines for Good Luck and Wealth

If you’ve ever wondered why most Chinese restaurants will slice up an orange for you at the end of your meal, you will be glad to know this fruit symbolizes good luck for you. In Community Table’s“7 Foods to Eat for Good Luck on Chinese New Year”, Shannon McCook says: “Displayed as decorations and given as gifts, the tangerine is said to represent wealth and the orange brings good luck. While their bright vibrant colors lend themselves to the spirit of the day, their associations with wealth and luck originate in how similar the Cantonese word for tangerine is to wealth, and the Cantonese word for orange is to luck.”[Read more…]